Cross-country skiing: a final test for the cross-country skiers before the World Cup
With less than two weeks to go before the return of the cross-country skiing World Cup, the French men’s and women’s teams will be able to test their mettle from Friday onwards at the Norwegian opening races in Beitostølen (Norway). An exercise in which Les Bleus already took part last winter.
Arriving in Scandinavia on Monday at around midday, the French were already able to put on their skis in the afternoon. “The conditions are good and it’s cold. A little powder fell overnight and it’s very nice, Alexandre Rousselet, head coach of the World Cup group, told Nordic Magazine. On the other hand, there isn’t much snow, but the piste looks pretty good.”
And the tricolour cross-country skiers are preparing to take on the best Norwegians on the circuit in a classic sprint, a classic individual and a skate individual.
“Everyone is here apart from Clément Parisse. So we have fifteen athletes, nine boys and six girls, explains the Doubien. We start with a sprint, which Jules Lapierre and Mathis Desloges won’t be taking part in. However, all the boys will be lining up for the distance races. For the girls, Léna Quintin will be competing in the skateboard distance, while Mélissa Gal will be lining up for the classic distance.”
First battles in a hyper-competitive environment with just one week to go before the World Cup
Beyond the sporting aspect, Thibaut Chêne and Alexandre Pouyé’s protégés will also be able to acclimatise before two World Cup weekends in Scandinavia, in Ruka (Finland) and Lillehammer (Norway).
“The aim of being here is to make the final adjustments before tackling the World Cup. Like last year, the aim is also to get into a rhythm with a high level, given that the Norwegians are here, says Alexandre Rousselet. We’re not aiming for a result at the moment, but we’ll take what we can get!”
Last year, these opening races did rather well for the French, with a final for Richard Jouve and Léna Quintin in the classic sprint and a podium finish for Delphine Claudel and Hugo Lapalus in the individual skate.
The list of French nationals at Beitostølen 🇳🇴
Women
- Delphine Claudel – ARMÉE DE CHAMPIONS / La Bressaude Ski Section (Massif des Vosges) 🇫🇷
- Flora Dolci – ARMÉE DE CHAMPIONS / Association Sportive Edelweiss (Alpes Provence) 🇫🇷
- Juliette Ducordeau – Club Ski Nordique Villard de Lans (Dauphiné) 🇫🇷
- Mélissa Gal – Ski Club Nordique Pays Rochois (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
- Léna Quintin – ARMÉE DE CHAMPIONS / Ski Club Grand Bornand (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
- Maëlle Veyre – Ski Club Montgenèvre Val Clarée (Alpes Provence) 🇫🇷
Men
- Rémi Bourdin – Ski Club Frasne Drugeon (Massif Jurassien) 🇫🇷
- Lucas Chanavat – ARMÉE DE CHAMPIONS / Ski Club Grand Bornand (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
- Jules Chappaz – ARMY OF CHAMPIONS / Club des Sports La Clusaz (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
- Mathis Desloges – Club Ski Nordique Villard de Lans (Dauphiné) 🇫🇷
- Renaud Jay – DOUANE / Club des Sports Les Ménuires (Savoie) 🇫🇷
- Richard Jouve – ARMÉE DE CHAMPIONS / Club des Sports de Méribel (Savoie) 🇫🇷
- Hugo Lapalus – ARMÉE DE CHAMPIONS / Club des Sports La Clusaz (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
- Jules Lapierre – ARMY OF CHAMPIONS / Chartreuse Nordic Skiing (Dauphiné) 🇫🇷
- Théo Schely – POLICE NATIONALE / Club des Sports La Clusaz (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
The full programme of Norwegian opening races at Beitostølen 🇳🇴
Friday 22nd November
- 11.40am: Men’s and women’s sprint CT qualifiers
- 1.30pm: Men’s and women’s sprint CT finals
Saturday 23rd November
- 10.00am: Women’s individual 10 km CT
- 11.30am: Men’s individual 10 km CT
Sunday 24 November
- 11.30am: Women’s individual 10km FT
- 1.00pm: Men’s individual 10 km FT
Read also
- “Interesting courses with lots of work”: the French women’s team meets at Prémanon, the boys at Corrençon-en-Vercors
- Snowfarming in Bessans: the photo album of the French skiing in training
